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About Me

During my tenure as a Countryman, i have to say that, my family has been one of my biggest teachers of traditional country skills, when my sister and I were kids, we spent most weekends in the countryside, either in the woods, walking the South Downs or fishing on the beach, whilst at the time you did not realise that you were learning, it is now in later life, that i have placed more and more value on what we were taught as kids and have realised what we were being taught, of course when people like my father were growing up at the time of the second world war, the skills he had such as foraging for wild foods and making things from what was available around you, were not done for fun, as many of us do today, but were a true matter of survival, due to the lack of food and materials that war time rationing bought.

I spend most of my time outside, be that in the workshop, in the woods, on the beach or just out in the countryside, either camping out, walking, practicing and learning new skills and crafts from my peers, as well as speaking to and learning new skills and crafts from the older and indeed younger generations, everyone has something to offer. Nothing can beat first hand practical knowledge and the number of people who used to use these traditional skills on a daily basis, is sadly, only ever going to get smaller, if we don't preserve these skills now, they will sadly be lost, which is why, when im not learning and practicing these skills, im teaching woodland crafts, like spoon & bowl carving, basic stick making and net making amongst other things to the next generation of countrymen & women.

It's an honour to be able to pass on what i have learnt from my experiences of being out in the countryside and learning through speaking to and learning from true artisans not just in the UK, but overseas as well, to the next generation of outdoorsmen and craftsmen & women, and i hope that in time, they too, will be able to pass on the same wilderness crafts, skills and knowledge of the ancestors to future generations, so they too, may enjoy the richness of life i have and continue to enjoy.